Winx makes it 24 on end with 17th G1 win, Kementari third

The class of the world’s best racehorse came to the fore yet again as Winx won her 24th consecutive race and a world-record 17th G1 in the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday, 24 March.

As Winx passed another milestone with comparative ease, Godolphin’s star three-year-old Kementari, who finished third to the wonder mare, offered plenty to be pleased about.

For Kementari, Saturday’s race was never intended to be much more than preparation for the G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 7.

But the effort to mix it with Winx pleased both trainer James Cummings and jockey Brenton Avdulla.

"I'm over the moon with that," Cummings said.

“He hit the line beautifully and he's raced against serious weight-for-age horses, been beaten less than two lengths by the best horse in the world."

Avdulla said he couldn’t fault the son of Lonhro.

“I was very happy with him in his first time at weight for age,” Avdulla said.

“I just rode him comfortably where he was nice and quiet. I saved him for a dash up and he was beaten two lengths by the mighty mare.”

Kementari is due to tackle Saturday’s runner-up Happy Clapper on more favourable terms under the handicap conditions of the Doncaster.

“He meets Happy Clapper a lot better at the weights. He only has 51.5kg in the Doncaster. It’ll take a good horse to beat him,” Avdulla said.

While victory would have been welcomed by the Godolphin team, the result stands as something of a triumph for Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley breeding operation whose stallions, past or present, sired all three placegetters.

Winx is a daughter of the ill-fated Street Cry, Happy Clapper is by Teofilo and Kementari by Lonhro.

Godolphin’s Australian stable also secured another G1 placing on the same card when Viridine finished third in The Galaxy behind In Her Time and English.